2016-10-13 - Party Crashing at the HFC
The Hellfire Club is always the height of the party season. Particularly on this eve, in mid October. On the night the new Red Queen of the club is being 'introduced' to society. Her name is Madelyne Pryor, and she hangs over on Sebastian's arm, tittering at every word. Flanking Sebastian is the ever-present Selene with a sadistic looking grin on her face, the always silent Tessa on the other side. For the Inner Circle, the announcement of a new public 'member' is always of strict interest, and so some of the X-Men have also deigned to attend in the spirit of 'detente' that marks both groups. And so they circled. The White Queen has to be here. If only for the sake of proving she still exists, by now word may have started leaking that she is no longer being investigated for the incident at her previous school, she has dressed to her usual high standards and is flitting about on the edges of the crowd with a glass of chardonnay in hand. Emma is checking attendance. All the usuals are present. Some of the inherited members of the club aren't - such as the Starks or Waynes. But there are plenty within the population of hangers on. The redhead on Sebastian's arm lets out a titter then as she lets herself be lead by him, grinning. The Club is full, but not scandalously so - this is the type of party one needs an invite to. Uncertain about how to get in the door, Nico Minoru has shown up for this grand event. Half by bravado and by looking the part, and the other half by only giving her last name. The name Minoru is still known in many establishments, spoken up to and mostly behind closed doors. Either way, the door opened for her even though she's not really certain how, and the pale asian face of the young lady enters. Her features are composed, though almost rigidly so as she tries to contain the confusion inside. How did that even work anyway? Jean Grey is otherwise circling. She's in a wary mood then along with some of the others, cautiously sweeping around then with her eyes. A drink is in her hand, which the redhead occasionally swirls to give the appearance of having taken a sip from it. She eyes the room, a very paranoid look on her face. Rachel Summers often feels out of place in the world, she really feels out of place here. It is a plus she did dress up some for the occasion, not sure why they were coming here, but you know never turn down Mom. Ray is near,,but not near because that's hovering and you don't want to crowd people. She doesn't have a drink in her hand because you know she's trying to be respectful of laws..but we'll see how the night goes. Recognizing exactly nobody, Nico finds her way around the room. She bestows a smile on someone, knowing that it looks fake, and catches a glimpse of red hair out of the corner of her eye. A passing look and she realizes that Jean Grey is in the house. She turns away from the flash of red, looking at the gentleman to whom she smiled, and is snubbed instantly. A similar flash of red is in her eyes, but it's hidden just as quickly. She knows that showing weakness here is not the way to ...what's the phrase? Blend in? Ah, fuck it, not like she was gonna work out anyway. She grabs a drink and slams the wine then twirls the glass around the stem, starting to grin. Emma Frost is a little curious who the redheaded hussy on Sebastian's arm is, but not curious enough to go ask. She has no desire to get that close to him without a knife in her hand to give him an extra close shave with. Thoughts like that are why she has her personal shields and defenses elevated to ward herself with. These gatherings are byzantine after her own heart, and it isn't long before she's happy to be flexing her social muscle once again. She eyes Jean and snatches a glass for her as her own way of telling her to relax without being too overt. Sebastian turns his head over to Emma, casually sauntering through the room with Maddie on his arm then, "Why Emma, I must say, it has been ages since you graced us with your presence." Casual greetings, somehow managing to find that perfect tone to make it just belittling then, the ever-perfect and pristine Tessa going along his other side like clockwork. "No, the tar sands won't run out like that," a soft voice is saying to what appears to be his 'friends', though in a situation like this it's somehow unlikely. "Simple mathematical regression shows a limit to output but also to necce..." his voice drifts off as Nico approaches the group, and they all are not looking at her. They're not looking at her so hard it's almost painful, though the young lady is perhaps dressed in higher quality garments. There's a difference: they don't know her. The figure of Nico calmly walks past the group as if she'd never meant to be near them in the first place and strides with short, calm steps to the waiter nearby. She places her glass on his tray and visibly restrains her fingers from grasping another. Then stands a moment in a quiet spot in the room, scoping out the situation tactically. It'd be charming if it weren't so obvious. There's a light wiggle in her hips, and at that moment Nico would.. See someone approaching her. Skin like liquid mercury, wearing a dark midnight black outfit she would have to be peeled out of later.. And Selene Gallio, the Black Queen, smiled over at Nico casually then, "Why hello there little poppet.. I see that you got my invitation?" Selene is carrying a goblet of wine then in one hand then she goes to take a casual sip out of. "So glad you could make it.." Emma Frost cocks a hip as she sips from her chardonnay, replying as if she missed the tone,"Sebastian dear, you never call and never write. I felt it high time I made sure the standards were remaining acceptable, after all...not even the Waynes bother showing up anymore." Jean Grey is glad to have about any backup with her she can then. So every available telepath to help scope out the place. She'd have taken Betsy and Monet with her if they were avialable. SO it's with a cautious look on her face that she glances at Rachel <> Like always, the minds of the Inner Circle are something she can never breach. Rachel Summers glances around trying to blend in, look happy..you know they don't teach you etiquette in the Mutant Hunting Pens, or you know the Refugee camps. She has a smile and glances back to Mom. <> Sebastian just grins over at Emma, "Why my dear, you seem to imply to have a semblance of them lately. Forgotten your roots already have we?" Letting out a 'tsk' and a casual implication of those roots. "So fast away and so ready to discard everything we helped you build and then wait for it to come tumbling down again.." Madelyne just looks over and lets out a quiet little giggle over as she watches the dynamics. "Really, -she- used to be with you? She looks like the girls who are on their backs all the time downstairs." Nico raises an eyebrow, then both of them, as the local snake goddess deigns to...no, no thinking like that. Raising her chin just slightly, Nico glances -away- from Selene quickly. Her eyes quickly check to see if she's being distracted from something; finding little of equal interest, she wishes she'd had better genes as she raises a smile to the Black Queen. "Of course," she lies, having received no such invitation. "I appreciate being..included, in such a prestigious event. My lady...?" Got no goddamn idea who this is, and I swear if I have to admit it more openly than that to someone who looks that amazing I'll faint. It's with Rachel that Jean gives a silent nod over to her 'daughter'. <> Eyes flicking around cautiously. Emma Frost winks at Maddie as she replies to the insinuation with a double edged dagger for both as she senses the rhetorical opening and smiles,"Darling, didn't you know? Sebastian is very easy to impress. Mind you don't stray, however." She then looks back to the big man and says,"So quick with the jab, do your lackies know what sort of employment security you have? If they caught wind of the job you pulled back in dear Massachusetts..." She then narrows her eyes at him and lets it hang. Selene lets out a quiet laugh over as Nico goes to flee, "Why litlte poppet, you know that it's rude to refuse a gift. You've already come to here and partaken of our hospitality. SO it would be ruder still to leave." She tsks, "But I see that at least you've been taught proper manners." She gives a far too casual bow, her body moving like it was smoke then as she crutsied, "Selene Gallio, poppet. And a pleasure that you could make it." Seh grins. Maddie just smiles over at Emma, "Why, hardly. Spoken like someone that shouldn't know. And you don't ever seem to have made that list." Her arm is a little thicker around Sebastian's then, a look of glee on her face then as she moves in counterpoint to Emma. Sebastian looks amused, "Ah yes, your litle school. A shame what happened to the children. Such a waste of potential." That, at least, is honest from him - they all invested a bit in the Hellions. Rache; just grins. <> she says as she starts to mingle around. That'll work. She goes to um mingle. A curtsy enters Nico's mind, and she realizes that it would be entirely the wrong thing to do just in time. Don't show weakness, or subservience. Not here. Instead, she keeps her eyes on Selene's and does an oriental bow, hands placed at her center. Family traditions, saving my ass one more time. "I just arrived, M'lady Gallio. Though I admit, the temptation crossed my mind, I love a challenge." She takes a slight shift to the left, so she won't be staring directly into the Black Queen's face and can see the room. Then says, her voice almost cracking, "What's going on?" Nico, for all her combat experience, has never been in this forum before and is halfway to panicking under the shell. Emma Frost does make note of the honesty as she disregards Maddie, writing her off as a hussy confirmed therefore not worth any more of her time. Her eyes remained narrow as she presses on that point. It was why she never bothered going back,"Indeed. A shame. More of a shame than the fact that anyone thinks you would actually lift a finger for them." With that, she finishes her drink and deftly round to find another before she has to suffer more of their nonsense. Jean Grey nods quietly at Rachel, her face a frown <> Yet Selene grins over at Nico and smiles wickedly, "Why good little poppet. You have a bit of a backbone to you. I do approve. Now come then.. And let us partake." Her guise is smoke, but also power. The ancient sorceress gestures over with a hand then. "And partake a feast the likes of which you have never seen." She croons with an implied, promised, almost implicit familiarity, voice sweet of honey and almost enthralling. Rachel Summers grins, of course they did. If this was a D&D game and someone casted Detect Evil they would be blinded. You don't need to be telepath to kno that there are folks here up to no good. Rachel walks around and continues to mingle. Quietly, trying not to be noticed, but not really a wallflower, just the right amount of social butterfly to blend in. Maddie just smirks, "Why, he seems to lift plenty for me.. And don't you -dare- turn away." Her voice i commanding, enthralling. And backed by an extremely potent sense of telepathy that Emma flat out didn't notice at all coming in, almost something too brutal to be able to resist snapping one's head around to, it coming off her in focused waves then as Sebastian just smirked. Sebastian continued, "Why Emma, we help one another. That's how it goes. WE help one another ascend to the heights and keep ourselves up there. It's not our fault you weren't up for both the game nor the risks." Jean Grey dips her head quitly over at Rachel <> She remembers very well how the Club swallowed her up and spat her out, leaving just embers in their embrace. And it's towards Tessa that Rachel ends up moving, the dark haired Black Rook moving through the room like flowing water. Nico Minoru is, clearly, not a telepath. She is however being looked at by the patrons with slightly more care than she did a few moments before. Being spoken to with familiarity by Selene Gallio is not a joke, though it's been known to be the opening to a trap. Best not to affront the Queen. Nico looks about the room, tensing up, and with a deep breath that clears her mind she follows the Black Queen where she will go. The magic within her blood knows like, and it's not entirel a good feeling as she says, "Now really, we can't eat any of the patrons, Milady Gallio. It would clash with the carpet." Her smile, her comments, are all hugely at odds with the tension inside, but it's clearly there. Everything with Selene is a trap. The woman herself is just the lure. Selene is just quietly nibbling and reeling in Miss Minoru bit by bit, as if a cat trying to play with a mouse then. "Good, you know proper decorum, poppet. Come with me then." To the outside room, Selene presents a very sinister sort of shadow, as if sinking her fangs into the girl in an obvious way of 'marking' her then - obvious perhaps to everyone but (intendedfully) not Nico hrself as she went to sway with the younger girl towardssome of the food. Rachel Summers glances over to the Rook and offers a smile. "Pleasant evening." she says. Hey look Rachel can use words. Yay! Rachel' focus is on the Tessa but her conversation goes to Jean. she shudders mentally. TRying not to send those things she can imagine to Jean, no one needs to see that, especially Ray. The White Queen is surprised by the sudden telepathic yank from Madelyne. Fortunately it isn't the first time she's had a thrust like that pointed her way. She shoots a venomous look at her, containing the shock with practiced grace as she wrenches loose from the command as she retorts at Sebastian without rewarding him a glance,"I don't care about being left out to dry, that you fail to grasp your shortcomings is reason enough to disregard anything else from you. As for you.../Red Queen/...Enjoy my leavings. You deserve him." With that she slaps away Madelyne's telepathy fully. The thought back from Jean to Rachel is pained <>. While Sage just smiles over at Rachel with a sort of neutral smile then over as she speaks over to the girl. "You're new here." Statement. Fact. Madelyne just smiles over on Emma then over as her telepathic summons was smacked back hard. "You know what they say about White.. It stains so easily. I'd hate to see what must happen when we get it all red with blood. You were right, Sebastian! She has an amusing little spirit!" It is with a laugh that Madelyne wraps her arm around Sebastian's arm. Sebastian grins, "Oh /Ms./ Frost, the shortcomings were always your own. You were the one who decided to let yourself go soft. And the one who forgot how she was made and thought she was better than it." Rachel Summers glances to Sage and nods. "Correct." she is new here. Sage gets a gold star. her thoughts go to Jean. Nico has no idea, no knowledge at all, who the hell this lady is. That being said, she's here to learn and you can learn more from inside. Her own shadow is presented as a small figure, but oddly out of place as prey. It's difficult to tell why exactly, but the people looking on have learned to ignore things out of place. Especially here. The asian lass pauses upon approaching the trays of artfully designed foodstuffs. For a person who was hoping for an In-n-Out burger an hour ago, she's faced by food she isn't actually sure how to hold, let alone stuff in her gob. "After you," she improvises, keeping her hands placid. You can never go wrong by yielding the field to the superior player. "And now we're away from the crowd...thank you for saving me. I may have been drowning slightly out there." Sage just neutrally watches Rachel, and casually speaks. "This doesn't seem your game, child. It's one that if you don't want to play you shoudl be walking out on." Emma Frost snorts softly at the two of them, turning her back yet again on him. This time as she walks away she quips,"It's so easy to deny failure from a distance, isn't it? No sense of responsibility, and a willing sycophant who can't see any wrong." Time for that drink. And a cigarette. There's a little too overblown smirk from Selene, "Just remember, child.. Everything has a form. And everything has a purpose. When one plays they have to showcase all these. All these forms, and their purpose. Whether it be food.." Selene casually goes to take up a small sandwich bite and then a glass ofwine.. "Or play." She whispers, tone enthralling and almost hypnotic if she can hit that right bit of enthrallment with the younger woman. "And what are your forms,and your purpose?" She croons. "Tell me, for I do love hearing.." Rachel nods to her. "Incorrect." oh well there goes that Gold Star. Rachel just offers a smile to her. <> Rachel asks of Jean. <> Jean Grey quirks a brow, quickly seeing through Rachel's eyes to put a face to the name. <> To which Sage corrects a moment later. "Rook." Maddie's eyes grin and bore into Emma's back from a distance. "Oh, so you're saying I can't play with my food before I'm done with it?" there are, perhaps, shooting through Emma's consciousness far too many memories of when she and Shaw did the same. Awww hell no...Tessa didn't just speak. Rachel ups the telepathic sheild another notch, not going to have people listen in on their private convo..soon they just going to have to figure out some Mommy Daughter sign language. Rachel looks to Tessa and nods. "So you slide to one side of the board in a straight line?" she thinks a moment. "I liked the Queen..except usually they don't wear a lot here, like I am not sure how they stay warm, and forget pockets, you know Girl pockets are hard enough but with those outfits..am I right up high."she says raising her hand to hi five the Rook..offering a nervous laugh. Nico Minoru lifts her chin, ever so slightly. Tension vibrates within her, but her breathing is controlled with a grip of iron as she takes a small cracker with something green on top. She glances at it, having not even seen what she was reaching for, and says, "My form and purpose?" A frown takes her face as she considers how to respond to that question. Blunt is not the path, not here. "A lady I once knew told me that you can't know your purpose until it's in your hands, Miss Gallio. I'm not certain how true it is, but there's less in the world lately for me. And play..." She shakes her head, not really having a response to that. Play? What's that these days anyway. Meh. Sage smirks over at Rachel, "Amusing." She goes on in that quiet, imperious sort of tone as her hand rests exactly by her side then. "You're not helping yourself either." She notes then over with amusement. or maybe not. Her expression is exactly the same. "You aren't here for the game. It doesn't quite fit you." Not quite 'get lost' but a warning. Jean's thoughts are a little harried <> She picks up the reinforcing of shields then. Selene goes to croon, her voice a little firmer, "Poppet, I asked you a question. You've accepted our invitation and partaken of our hospitality. It's only polite and gracious to the hostess after all. Please, do show politeness then. You don't want to disappoint me, not after all I've done little poppet. And good." She croons over at Nico, eyes enthralling and almost glowing. Rachel Summers smiles at her. "just playing on a whole other level that's all." she says. "If you would excuse me" yeah she aint got time for this. She steps away if Tessa lets her and she will think back to Jean. <> Jean Grey's eyes flash then as she calls out <> Jean isn't sure -what- sort of thing is going on, but a quick telepathic request is sent over to Emma as Rachel disengages. Then back to Rachel <> Tessa casually interrupts, "Rude to whisper behind my back when I'm right here. Haven't you learned proper manners? And he's not." She croons. Bluntly. Nico Minoru has no idea what Selene's asking. Seriously. Also thought that she was being as polite as she could be. The confusion shows in her eyes for a moment, and she brushes her fingers together as she eats the fish eggs on cracker. Her eyes actually cross for a second as she tastes it, and she politely turns away for a moment to recover, denying herself the right to cough. Returning to Selene, she says, a little more raggedly, "Are you the hostess, Miss Gallio. I was..uncertain. And I have been trying to answer, but your question isn't an easy one. My form, my function?" She spreads her hands to show the lack of understanding. Perhaps her first really honest statement. Emma Frost hasn't even gotten started with Maddie, she merely gave her a warning before. The White Queen gives her a sampling of how she earrned her name, and it wasn't for her name or wealth, beginning with latching on to her connection. She begins to tweak the telepathic link she made with her, and sends back a counter thrust with a modest purpose in mind. Her thrust would carry the emotion of angst and frustration, designed to rattle her sense of control through empathy. She would ramp it up moment by moment until she began to spiral and experienced something akin to the first manifestations of telepathy. The inadvertent peering into the deepest thoughts of everyone around you at once. Rachel Summers should totally tell Tessa she was raised in a barn..or well a Hound Cage, but nope not the time or place. She smiles at Tessa. "I'm sorry I no idea what you are talking about. " yes play dumb. If Tessa pushes Rachel will push back..she's starting to get on her nerves and if you thought Jean had a temper her little girl has it ten fold. What Emma finds as she tries to change perceptions with Madelyne is that it's like running into a black hole. Each attempt at tweaking, whether it comes in the form of quiet alterations or cannonades of blunt force, is received over into the diamond hard abyss and she just sees a grinning, maliscious sketch gazing back over at her . <> And Madelyne laughs, casually going along Shaw's shoulder as she went away. Not even phased. Something -damned- wrong with her ability to take all of that and bat it away, both strong and subtle. Tessa's eyes flash over then at Rachel - or maybe it's just meeting the charge of red-headed temper with cold ice and fire back at her, and she grins equanamiously. "Just as I said." The bait and the verbal trap laid and triggered as Rachel went to shove back at her, the two seemingly at a standoff. Rachel Summers watches Tessa carefully, yep she's got Rachel's attention..she tried to walk away..she did, what happens next could be Tessa's fault. She simply says. "I would tread lightly...Rook." a warning..and Rachel got the power to back it up. There's a coo from Selene, and she gestures over at Nico then as her hand went up and over to rest on Nico's shoulder, with a liquid ensnarement of them, "I asked what you were made to do, poppet. What is your goal, and what you wish to do with yourself." She goes to croon, "Such power and such potential does not just gift and graft itselfto anyone,a fter all. It is wove into the fates of destiny. So what has it weaved for you?" Her tone mesmerizing. Now fully into a hypnotic command. Emma Frost just quirks her blonde brow at Madelyne and turns away from her. It isn't the place to flex muscles beyond what she did. Just like Shaw, talented filth she thinks. She makes her way back over to her own redhead, pulling out her cigarette case as she goes. Skip the drink, she needs nicotine before she blows someone's mind. As Emma comes towards her, Jean glances over at her, "Everything all right?" She's lost track of Rchel for the moment as Rachel and Tessa seems about to go at it, out of her notice then as Jean offers her arm over to Emma, "And if you're going to smoke just make sure it's not going to go in my face." As Rachel's eyes flare up, Tessa just smiles over at her then. The smile that on Selene's face might almost be that of a shark. "A game isn't about throwing furniture around, /child/. It's on doing things the way they should be done." Nico Minoru ah. Her eyes flicker around the room again, almost a defense mechanism as she checks for potential attackers. She does that often, habitually. Then she looks at Selene, her eyes firm for the first time tonight. Then the right side of her lips twitches into a smile. It's pretty, but it's also very, very dark. "Nobody asks me what I want," she admits, giving that part of herself. That her life is about everyone else, and she misses her dreams being stripped away. By a life she chose, though under duress. "Why does it matter to you, Mistress? If I dream every night about living another day, or about dying and letting it be over, finally over? Because they're both true. Both dreams." She pauses, her smile fading, as she thinks. Remembers having dreams of her own. And admits, "I would create beauty...something of wonder worth the pain. Something I made, with my hands." She's not looking at Selene at the end, she's dreaming. Selene coos, "From destruction one forms creation. From nothingness, one takes clay to use to form the world. From the embers of ashes, one forges fire. Through suffering, we are galvanized and made better. Why do you only have to concern yourself with the dreams of others? Why do you noly concern yourself with the frailties of others that you must aid them? Why not let them pick themselves up? You are allowed to dream. To make your own fires. To make your own wishes come true. Poppet, why limit yourself to being such a thing in merely one world?" The trance playing up a litlte deeper now. Rachel Summers looks at her. "Sometimes you got to throw around furnature..you going to step off or we going to go, because I don't got all night,:" she totally has a test to study for. Rachel though isn't smiling anymore, she tried to play nice, play the cute little game, but noo Sage has to antagonize her. Yeah Jean can totally feel RAchel's...um frustration..yeah lets use that word. It's not hard to sense it, or cut it with a knife. Emma Frost replies to Jean as she readies her holder with a fancy chocolate flavored cigarette, telepathically through a shielded link,<> She the lights it with a butane as she verbalizes,"Of course love, is it half as bad as you thought, or is this not your first?" It's tht dangerous little back and forth that has Jean's attention over as she picks up wht is going on between Rachel and Tessa. "Holy. Emma can you.." Jean's caught offguard by having been conversing with the blonde as she senses the irritation rising up and off of her daughter. Tessa does not play nice.. And to Rachel Tessa just grins sadistically. "First and foremost, control. If you can't maintain focus, you'll never get off the playground. If you can't keep from throwing a tantrum.." Oh it is so on Nico Minoru is fairly hypnotized at this point, though something inside her is still resisting. Less stressed, she presents a picture of someone quite under Selene's spell, gazing up into the sorceress' eyes. A lamb, but a lamb with a knife hidden in her black wool. With her hands held in front, she digs a fingernail into her wrist. "With ...all due respect, Mistress Gallio," she chokes out past the spell of words the magical master has cast around her, "There are people worth dying for. Though at the moment I'm not perfectly sure why..." She's fading fast over there. Selene has sunk her empathic and telepathic fangs over into Nico Minoru, and she is slowly seeding you, "But yes, poppet. Some are worth it. But why hide away on the run? Why flee and starve on the streets? Why be a gathering of those who would think they be brats when you can be kings and queens? Why waste all that raw power and talent on lttle more than doing street tricks to make sure you have enough food not to starve?" Selene's eyes are flashing like those of a snake's, hypontizing beore they seek to inject their venom.. Trying to impart to Nico's consciousness the frame of.. Why /do/ they have to hide in fear? To run? When they could make the world their's.. Rachel..shakes her head. 'You're not worth it, besides I need my allowance to buy other things than replacing the gaudy furniture in here." and with that she turns around. Not going to let this Bitch Yoda her into a fight..got to be all calm..you know be Jedi like. Emma Frost hrms as she senses Jean's concern, her brow knitting subtly as her eyes flicker to find Rachel. They settle on Nico first, and she makes her way over. She knows Selene quite well, unlike the hussy. Selene is as trustworthy as a water moccasin, and almost as subtle. She's not overly sure of who Nico is, but she knows she's in over her head talking to someone like her,"Selene...Long time, darling." Tessa can't help but laugh, "Little girl, do you imagine yourself so big and important? Here playing games and dressup and thinking yourself so cute and so adult? Really, I'm not sure if I'm supposed to think you adorable for rubbing more than one or two brain cells together and calling it a spark." Tessa, also out of the corner of her all-seeing eyes takes note of where Emma is going, even as she purposefully baits Rachel. "If you -want- to go that way Ray, can use Tessa baiting you to start brawl, which has Emma face with Selene and break her hold on Nico?" Well yep Rachel tried to play nice. "I guess I'll have to wait till next month to buy that Dazzler album." she is a red head after all. Rachel turns around and sends TK bolt right into Tessa, who probably was expecting but not expecting it at her feet to send her upwards into the ceiling. Rachel looks to Jean. "I tried, I gave her away out." Rachel's body flares up with Psionic energy. Opening her mouth and then closing it again, Nico Minoru wonders why she's stabbing herself in the wrist. The pain distracts her a moment, and she realizes that the lady has a good point. There's better ways; she knows, she's thought of them. If the team would just be reasonable. "There's sense there..." she admits, her brow furrowing. "Nobody's really even...hunting us anymore," she says, not knowing that she's being hunted RIGHT BLOODY NOW! But the pain, it needs her attention for some reason. She glances up at Emma, then ignores her entirely for Selene's face. Her relentless, amazingly simple logic. "I could just, with one spell.." That sadistic little smile on Tessa's face rises up then another fraction of an inch then just as Rachel goes to telekinetically blast her across the room then, her slamming over into the ground. One almost -might- swear it was 'just as planned' for whatever unfathomable reasons as she went slamming. The room goes quiet - even as the guests scramble for cover! Sebastian rises up, "A mockery in my own /club/." He hisses. "Playtime is over if you cannot take part in social /graces/. Come my Queen, no need to waste ourself in such -uncivility-." Arm around Maddie's hips, he went to walk out of the room. Jean calls out, "Rachel!" Going to rush over towards her daughter. Selene coos, "Just as nobody is hunting you right now does not mean not /ever/ again. You still hide for precisely that reason. You do not want to risk having them know where you are when they come after you. Why do you let yourselves live in fear then when you cn live in strength?" And then it's as Selene turns to Emma she smiles, her lips flashing, "Why Emma. It has been too long. I thought that you'd gotten too scared to show your face here." It's at that -BLAST- from Rachel that Selene's eyes perk up, "Such power.." Rachel spent a good portion of her life as a Dog..civility isn't really a strong point for her. She glances to Jean and shrugs. "What..she started it." she points to the smiling Tessa. And, the one person with absolutely no training in defending against psychic attacks? Yeah, that'd be the one who was falling under one right in front of everyone in the room. Nose bleeding slightly from the blast, Nico stumbles away from Selene. Just a step or two, but raising her hand to her nose she realizes something. Shit. "Excuse me" comes out of Nico's mouth as she literally runs through the crowd, eldrich tones coming out of her mouth a half-second afterward as she tries for the exit. ~When Blood is Spilled...~ Standing up and over Tessa smirks at Jean and at Rachel, "And I will finish it. If your little pet cannot control her mouth, I will do it for her." Tessa goes for a telepathic strike - trying to sever Rachel's vocal cords if possible with almost surgicla mental precision, trying to rob her of the ability to talk for now! The White Queen smiles languidly at Selene, even as she glances with admiration towards Rachel. She does have a passing respect for such displays as they have their place. She brushes a hair behind her ear as she rises to the bait,"It wasn't fear. I detest that man, and I chose not to come back before my feet were steady to look him in the eye. You of all people know how I feel about children. He is wasteful, and disregards his assets." She then looks to Nico as she points her cigarette to her,"Darling...shall I fetch you a napkin?" Selene goes to looked own over and then over as she lets out a hiss - right as Emma disrupts the telepathic hold she had on Nico and the White Queen's presence means that she will not be able to pick it up anytime soon. "I remember why I stopped liking you. You were too annoying." She goes to take out her fingers then. "Oh well, nothing a little lobotomy can't cure!" She grins, and her fingers go to try and weave a haze of ethereal fire about the White Queen! Rachel Summers isn't a newbie, she's trained and she defends the strike because she's waiting for the retaliation. Rachel was just going to slap her around a bit but no Tessa really wants to play. Rachel stops focusing on the illuions that hide her tattooed face. Black Streaks easily scene. She doesn't say anything though, she just attempts to strike Tessa with another bolt. Tessa is blasted back. Back. With raw force. Some are batted off or minimized, but Rachel just slams into her again and again like a battering ram and she goes flying over across the room, slamming /hard/ over into the wall across from where Nico was fleeing towards the doors as the crowds in the ballroom scattered! Nico Minoru doesn't make it out before she's engulfed in eldrich flame. Only for an instant, long enough for a six foot witch's staff to emerge fully-formed from her chest. Grasping it in her hand, she seems taller. Her eyes visibly clear, and the tendrils that the Black Queen has been placing find no purchase. For the crowd, she seems older, prouder. Hell, if the space they create around her is any indication, she looks meaner. "That was rude, Miss Selene. Words are acceptable, but the extras? Tch, tch." The staff, to anyone with magical sight, is possibly the strongest thing in the room. Period. Emma Frost finds herself in bad straits now that she's squaring off with Selene, but this is another fight she's wanted for a long time. She senses opportunity here, one to stick it to Shaw and his supporters. She gives the woman her impression of a wolfish smile as the heat dances around her and she begins to gather her focus,"You're in over your head..." As she utters those words, the ground around the flames would begin to fall away in the eyes of Selene. A reddish fire would appear below her even as the white flames she sought to threaten her with become like flaming angelic wings befitting the fury of the White Queen of the Inner Circle. Rachel Summers heads straight over to Tessa, she's angry, her psionic energy just sparking off her like this beautiful blue flame. She trying not to kill anyone..but she doesn't mind putting someone in a coma. She psyioniclly throws a chair at Tessa's head..she should live through that. Selene just smiles wickedly over at Nico, "Such a shame. I would have taught you so much. But perhaps it is inevitable. This will let me see what you can be when you blossom fully under my guidance." As the blast goes to radiate over Emma, and then as the other woman turns to diamond to let it blast off her, Selene then grins over at the fire-flaming White Queen. And Emma comes out unburnt, and Selene shrieks over as the fire turns against her in her mind! She wraps her hands around herself.. Then she grins. "Oh, lovely popppet! Turning new tricks! I thought you couldn't as an old dog.." Then her fingers twitch and what is smoke and fire turns to constricting web. Tightening over the White QUeen like a cocoon then as ethereal hellfire turns to a tightly woven web of spider-steel strength string! Trying to wrap Emma up like a pinata Rachel slams things through the room, slamming into Tessa again and again. Then she hears the sound of a cry behind her, "Rachel, stop!" It's Jean crying out desperately at her, even as Tessa collapses over almost like a pinata on the ground. Nico Minoru is prepared for a fight. What she finds, in place, is her opponent (thank god) being distracted by someone far more dangerous. Apparently. Well, more stacked anyway. Why is it all these X-types have massive racks? Completely unfair. But Nico realizes a cue to scan the room when she sees one. Sees the other fight going on, realizes she hasn't enough context and stays out of it. And says, "Well? GET OUT!" to the crowd, who has yet to figure out that this situation could get everyone killed. The power in her voice is...noticeable. Might as well save some lives tonight. Rachel drops the next object on the ground, instead of at Tessa. She is still flamey..and all line faced but she's not in murder mode at the moment. She is upset however..... The White Queen counters her spider steel with a mustering of her psionic focus, a silvery blue diamond manifesting visibly before her eyes as she cuts loose with a telepathic thrust at the sorceress. She doesn't like going diamond form and won't if she doesn't have to. It's far too crass. If the psychic assault goes as intended, she will advance from the threads of her transmuting fire towards her with narrowed eyes to try something she's never done while her focus is crystal sharp. Telekinetically knocking her on her behind. That's when 'Jean' gives a solid right cross over to Rachel's chin. The 'Tessa' on the ground that Rachel had been beating on like a set of bongo drums vanishes, surrounded by a series of cracked up furniture and a dent in the ground. Jean phases out and continues the fisticuffs, replaced by Tessa, "Sloppy. Power does not beget skill." On a full offensive aimed at Rachel's face! Jean has meanwhile been yelling at Rachel while putting up a telekinetic wall in front of the charging Hellfire Club guards to block weapons fire. And so Selene and Emma dueled. Selene let out a hiss of pain then and of anger then as she was blasted out at, feeling herself lose part of her form and constricting about her as she was restrained. In her disoriented form she could not face Emma equally on the psychic plane. So she went to change the parameters of the battlefield. Turning to mist, negating the telepathic link and the battlefield that she and Emma had formed astrally, almost instantaneously she would appear behind Emma, going to stab her fingers to Emma's gut if she could on the physical plane to give her a point blank lightning bolt, musing, "So crass." As Nico -yelled- the power of her voice blew the Ballroom doors open as people went to flee out the back, at full speed then as they went to get out of the way of the melee! Well son of a.....well that's one way to shut Rachel up..yeah that's going to bruise...she totally wasn't expecting that and goes to the ground on the bunch. She shakes her head to clear it but nope here comes another round of punches....okay..okay is that's how we going to play...we going to play that....sorry Jean..Rachel's gone full hound! Rachel manages to stand and tackles Tessa around the waist throwing both of them into the wall with a bit of TK help..smashing the a hole in the bar. Rachel just growls..and punches back, now while she's not the strongest of the X-men she adds a little TK to each one to at least make Tessa recognize... It's a brutal brawl of fisticuffs over finesse as Rachel went to pounce Tessa hard, meeting punch for punch and blow for blow as the pair brawled over the open ground, slamming into one another hard as they exchanged blows up against one another, going to brawl hard! Rachel was stronger, her brutal Hound training backed over by her telekinesis giving her a hard edge! Almost is the keyword for Emma, as she's on it the second she loses track of Selene. She knows all too well what the woman can do. Once she's lost her connection, she knows she has no choice but to go diamond. The lightning would graze her form, but Diamond handles electricity rather well. She'll counter this with a grab of her wrist as she replies while squeezing as tightly as she can,"What is it they say about pots and kettles?" Little lady Nico huhs, having forgotten that she was a spellcaster there. "Well, it worked," she mumbles to herself as she turns back to the melee in progress. Pieces of flying bar make her duck as she sees Rachel and her opponent get busy, and not in the nice and sticky kind of way. Still not sure who's the good guy there. Looking back to the Emma/Selene duel, she spares an instant to admire them. Then shakes it off, not the time damnit. And turns her staff power inward, casting a defensive spell she learned from Raven. "Would be nice if I had a scorecard here, Jean." Selene was grabbed and flung over by Emma, sailing across the room and skipping like a stone then. She would look over then at the Staff of One and went to grin, "Oooh, a lovely thing, Poppet. I think I'll take it. Give it to me NOW." her words have the full power of a brutal telepathic command, even as she went to try and command Nico and crush her will like a pebble! Rachel Summers stands up, bloody bruised, angry. She steps back leaving Tessa behind to either stand or stay down, at this point Ray doesn't care. But her eyes are full of psionic rage..her face scarred up..almost daring the next person to come at her. That person is, fortunately or not, Jean, who is running over towards Rachel's side then while maintaining the crushing wall against the hellfire Club mercenaries. "And here I thought you weren't paying attention to /any/ of Logan's self defense classes. Or has Laura been teaching you?" Her voice prideful, if cracking. Even as Tessa slumped unconscious. Waves splashing off of a mountainside. That's the telepathic command Selene is pitching at Nico's defensive spell, fueled by the pissed-off background hum she's got going. From being mentally defiled earlier, which just makes her spells stronger. Gotta love dark magic for that. Nico's spell doesn't utterly ignore Selene's assault, but there's no way it's getting through. And Nico physically leans into the attack, her eyes flashing and her grin getting wider and wider as she's forced to work. To fight. Oh, yes, to fight. I love a fight. That statement is audible to anyone with even the tiniest bit of telepathy, and Nico's voice is clear. "MY MIND," she states with power radiating off of her in actual, physical heat and waves of pain that come out of the depth of her mind. "SIT THE FUCK DOWN, BITCH!" And Nico's actually getting stronger, the more she's pushed. Her own inner power is actually increasing the more she's pushed. Pebble? Meet iceberg. Oh, and she's starting to look a...little bit crazy, in there. Emma Frost marches at Selene in what's more accurately describable as a saunter as she lets her hips swing with each step. The White Queen's ego is on full parade as she know's she is dominating Selene at this point in the fight. She won't let her have that staff, nor will she let her think for a second that she has a chance. The moment she's in reach, she'll thrust one hand to slap her hand aside while the other delivers an openhanded slap across her face! Given an opening, she'll follow it with a backhand then another slap from the same hand! Rachel Summers spits out some blood as Jean comes up to her she tone down the energy and she looks to Jean. She manages to get out. "She started it." she says. SHe glances over to the others. "What's nerxt." she spits out a little more blood. Rachel's a little whoozy though..and by a little she's woozy. There is Selene, reaching out and over to the younger girl's mind with the intent of subjugating it and crushing it like a sledgehammer to an ancient vase. That is when the brutal double blow from Emma hits her, even as she's forming the words of the commands then. WHAM! SMASH! That is when Nico goes to alpha bitch mode, the energy going to glow up and over to her. Selene technically -does- do what's told. Only even better. Namely by going down.. SMASH! And down.. SMASH!! And through several floors.. And several leels of basement.. And through several gradients fo sewer then that collapse down atop her. The sudden outburst of pain has Jean YELPING with agony, even as she instinctively throws a shield over herself and Rachel to try and block the worst of it. Emma, in diamond form, shouldn't need the assistance as Jean mentally braces herself and the unconscious Tessa on the floor feels nothing! Lucky. Emma Frost really feels nothing at all in her present state. She isn't even aware of the psychic aura over the area as she follows Selene through the floors, having been effectively on top of her giving her what-for. In this state, she has no emotions and is a telepathic void. As she gets up, she gives Selene a look, then utters,"Now you know crass." Then turns her back on her as she makes her way with the calmness of an emotionally vacant statue back up to where she hears Jean crying out. Nico Minoru supposes she should probably tone it down a bit. Still, whatever it is she's doing is mostly instinctive anyway, and she's kinda pissed. But she looks at Jean, and immediately reacts by dropping her staff on the ground in horror. The aura ends instantly, and she starts to apologize. Yeah thanks for Mom for the save but even Rachel ends up on her knees on that one Jean Grey is otherwise rising up and over to her feet in pain, nose bleeding then as she goes to help Rachel up. Unfortunately, bullets are flying at this point as Jean has had to lapse her shield, pinging off the area where she had been taking cover. As Nico goes to scramble along, Jean yells over at Nico, "Run!" Even as the mercenaries who defend the club open fire on full auto! Nico Minoru turns, grabs her staff, which vanishes in a rain of light sparkles, and runs out of the building into the night. That's the last that's seen of her for a little while, but she looked okay. Maybe not great, but...okay. Well, not full of bullet holes at least. Emma Frost will grab up the kneeling Rachel as she bursts back into the room, not exactly disregarding the gunmen as she all but drags the girl out the door behind the others,"Now isn't the time, girl!" Away they go with that, she trusts to her diamond form to defend her from gunfire and is perfectly willing to shove her in front of her if needed as they escape! Jean Grey and hopefully her daughter too are yanked up and over onto Emma's shoulders then as the White Queen with them would flee over into the night. Jean would have an exhausted look over her face as the group fled and vanished.